In this course you will examine the key laws, regulations and regulating bodies that govern and restrict the media and journalism practice. You will analyse the legal system, look at how laws are made and the role of courts, parliament and tribunals in relation to journalism. You will also discuss self-regulation and its impact on journalism practice, and learn the practical skills of court and legal reporting.

Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

Critically analyse the legal and regulatory restrictions on expression and their impact on journalism practice.

Report on court hearings and legal issues.

Explain and apply the laws of defamation and contempt of court, privacy law, broadcasting law and intellectual property to your practice.

Compare and contrast the different roles of courts, tribunals and regulatory bodies in relation to journalism.

Evaluate the role and impact of self-regulation on the media and journalists.

In this course you will develop the following program learning outcomes:

Identify and act within the relevant laws, policies and regulations governing the news media.

You will be actively engaged in learning that involves a range of activities such as studios, project work, lectures, tutorials, class discussion, individual and group activities.

Overview of Learning Resources

RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through our online systems.

A list of recommended learning resources will be provided by your lecturer, including books, journal articles and web resources. You will also be expected to seek further resources relevant to the focus of your own learning.

The University Library has extensive resources for Journalism students. The Library has produced a subject guide that includes quality online and print resources for your studies at http://rmit.libguides.com/mjsm.

You will be assessed on how well you meet the course’s learning outcomes and on your development against the program learning outcomes. Feedback will be given on all assessment tasks.

If you have a long term medical condition and/or disability it may be possible to negotiate to vary aspects of the learning or assessment methods. You can contact the program coordinator or the Disability Liaison Unit if you would like to find out more.